Training Log Archive: maprunner

testing Dick's Treo

First run on my "long and flat" training course at SMP. I set a 10K course that allows for some trail and road running. My plan is to run it once a month.

I made too many orienteering mistakes today, especailly for SMP. Lately, I have noticed how often I slow down, or actually stop, just meters before the control. I think I'm not in the right spot, so I slow down to figure it out. More often than not, I'm right where I should be. Need to develop the confidence to keep running right through to the control.

On a positive note, I was able to move 10k, for over two hours, without being totally wiped out at the end. In fact, I'm not really tired. Just sleepy (didn't sleep well last night) and nursing a huge bruise on my right ankle, courtesy of a rolling rock at control 16. Later, for good measure, the same spot got whacked by a big stick. How do those sticks know exactly where to cause the most pain ????

Long and Flat - Splits

Today was suppossed to be a day off, but I went out and doubled checked a few more PT controls.

I am afraid that the beautiful weather of the past few days (65 degrees) means we are likely to have horrible weather next weekend :) We'll see.

C • Horrible weather 3

Finished checking the Possum Trot controls. Again, I only counted the time with HR > 120.

Feel strangely stiff and sore today, as if I had a long, hard run yesterday. Very weird.

Last minute check of the Mt O course. Beautiful warm day, but I felt lethargic, even before we ate. Couldn't push it today.

PTOC meet today. I did the red course, which was pretty long. Fortunately the course setter gave us plenty of trail/road running options, which kept us from getting too ripped up the woods. Although, there was one point where I hestitated in a large thicket of thorns. I looked forward, backward, left and right; thorns everywhere. No choice but to power on through. Makes me tougher, right?

I started pretty hard, and was keeping up a decent jogging pace on the roads, and occassionally jogging in the woods. But I got tired around 5K and I really slowed down. In terms of "woods fitness", this is basically where I expected to be at this point in the year. Still much better than last year; I have never had such a good min/k time on such a long course in our local woods.

I've added the race to the split list.

Red - Splits

I spent a lovely afternoon in the woods, vetting part of the Possum Trot course. I love vetting; it's great practice. I was out longer, but I only counted the time my HR was over 120.

For those who are interested, the elapsed time from starting my car in our garage, to stopping my car in the main parking lot at the meet site: 10 min, 41 seconds.

C • Wright socks 6

An easy jog around Bonner, repeating some of Dan's course. My legs felt dead after the weekend's efforts.

I also felt out of sorts. I missed my compass, O shoes, HR strap, HR watch, lightweight gloves, warm-up jacket....
US Air finally called a few minutes ago, and we should be reunited with our luggage tonight.

Day two at Batona, and the course was physically, and mentally, much easier. I jogged around on trails for the most part, and had a decent outing. One big mistake on #6 when I miscounted the number of trails/ditches I had crossed, and started looking one trail too soon. Took me too long to admit what had happened. I need to read the contours; and stop wandering.

I was tired at the end, and the finish shoot was 170 meters long (I'm a 100 meter-type), so I thought I would jog in. T hen I saw that I was about to punch the last control just a step ahead of both George and Lynn Walker. That motivated me to sprint in, and try to salvage a bit of pride. Good split; only Anna beat me on the green y course. Next time, I'll get her too :)

Overall, a decent day. I need to be more confident about leaving the trails. I kept a steady jogging pace the whole way, which was good for me. Finished 4th in my class overall.

I've entered my routes on the DVOA Route Gadget page.

Day 2 Green Y - Splits

Event: BATONA 500
 

Ah, flat terrain! Maybe the woods will be open, too? Well, that was too much to ask.

Apparently, it was also too much to ask for my brain to function right at the start. I was hesitant and didn't read the map well, in addition to drifting off line. Messed up 3 and 5 pretty badly, and 7 a little bit, too. After that I seemed to settle down; maybe the blueberries had tired me out, so that I had to go slower and pay attention????

Overall, I wasn't too pleased with my navigatation. Did OK moving through the blueberries, in the sense that I wasn't absolutely exhausted at the end; just very fatigued.

Day 1 Green Y - Splits

Practice course at Wyandotte. My plan is to work on moving faster through the woods, including up and down hills. So I often took the straight-line route, even if a trail or road option was available. I started a bit too hard, and died by the end. However, this was my first time running the whole course, so this is a good baseline measurement. I plan to run this course once a month through the winter O season.

Swampfox would hate this course; the woods are gross. But it makes me tough :)

short and hilly - Splits

PTOC night O at Bonner Park. Dan Welch surprised me by setting a good course. I surprised myself by actually completing this course at a pace that resembled running, instead of my usual jog. Lots of people showed up, probably because of the nice weather and good night 'o location. Of course, I blew them all away with my super orienteering headlamp (which I kept on high beam, just because I could :)

C • Excellent! 3

Moving through the fields at SMP. I forgot the map, so I didn't orienteer. Saw lots of animals, including an oppossum and a skunk. Quickly turned away from the skunk.